National Assembly Closure Extended Until the 29th... "Normal Proceedings of the September Regular Session Are the Top Priority"

Due to a confirmed case of COVID-19 among reporters covering the National Assembly, the main building of the National Assembly was closed on the 27th, and the entrance was firmly locked. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] The National Assembly will remain closed until the 29th. The closure, which began at midnight on the 27th after a reporter was confirmed positive for COVID-19, will be extended for two more days.

The National Assembly Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters held a meeting chaired by Secretary-General Kim Young-chun in the afternoon to decide on the operation plan for the National Assembly building.

The Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters explained, "The top priority is to ensure the regular session starting on September 1 proceeds normally, and all efforts are being focused on disinfection work."

Accordingly, if no additional confirmed cases occur during the closure period, the National Assembly plans to operate normally, including holding standing committee meetings on the 31st. However, starting from 6 a.m. on the 30th, access to the Main Building, Members' Office Building, and Communication Hall will be allowed only to those with National Assembly ID cards. Persons under self-quarantine will be excluded according to the guidance of health authorities.

The National Assembly activated the Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters directly led by Secretary-General Kim Young-chun on this day. According to the National Assembly safety management regulations, the Secretary-General may establish a countermeasures headquarters if a large-scale disaster or risk thereof occurs due to infectious diseases or other emergencies. Although the deputy secretary-general is usually appointed as the head, considering the seriousness of the situation, Secretary-General Kim decided to lead it personally.

Chairing the meeting, Secretary-General Kim emphasized, "It is most important that the September regular session proceeds normally, and rather than rushing to reopen the National Assembly, it is necessary to secure sufficient time for strong preemptive quarantine measures."

Meanwhile, the chief floor leaders of both ruling and opposition parties agreed to proceed with the September regular session as scheduled from the 1st. However, considering the holiday, the audit schedule will be postponed by two days from the original October 5 to October 7.

Separately, the disinfection of the building, which started around 11:40 p.m. the previous night from the Main Building, was completed around 1:10 p.m. on this day. The epidemiological investigation, which began at 9:30 a.m., was completed on-site around 12:30 p.m., and specific and individual measures will be decided after analysis by the investigators.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.